Overview of the Collection

Title

Harper Consolidated
Mines album

Dates

1912 (inclusive)

19121912

Quantity

0.15 cubic feet (1 box)

Collection Number

5582 (Accession No. 5582-001)

Summary

The Harper
Consolidated Mines album appears to be have been compiled in 1912 as a resource
to promote a proposed, new mining company to potential investors. The material
is contained in a standard commercial photograph album and includes nineteen
typescript documents, fourteen affixed photographs (two of which are
cyanotypes), as well as seven loose photographs documenting activities at
Republic Camp in Ferry County, Washington.

John Lawrence Harper (1873-1961) was prominently involved in the
mining industry, journalism, and other related businesses in Eastern Washington
State during the first decade of the twentieth century. By 1912, he was manager
of the Republic Mines Corporation, based out of Spokane, Washington, which was
was reported to be the largest operating mine in Washington State. Harper also
served as general manager of the North Washington Power and Reduction
Company.

The Harper Consolidated Mines album appears to be have been compiled
as a resource to promote a proposed, new mining company to potential investors.
A company (or companies with a series of owners) responsible for working
different mines in Washington State's Republic Camp had existed since 1898 and
had been called variations on "Republic Consolidated Mines Corporation"
throughout its history. Harper, who was the general manager of Republic,
intended to develop mines and a cyanide mill at Republic Camp, but it is not
clear that this project ever came to fruition under the name, Harper
Consolidated Mines. The material is contained in a standard commercial
photograph album and includes nineteen typescript documents, fourteen affixed
photographs (two of which are cyanotypes), as well as seven loose photographs
documenting activities at Republic Camp in Ferry County, Washington. Also
tipped in at the front is a three-page typescript biography of J. L. Harper
extracted from Nelson Wayne Durham's "History of the city of Spokane and the
Spokane District" (1912). Photographs, several of which are credited to F. G.
Christian of Spokane, Washington show the presence of Spokane businessmen at
the mines and "visitors from the East" (including women). The album also
contains an image of the pouring of molten ore, along with photographs
highlighting the landscape of Republic, Washington and some of the mines
associated with the Republic Consolidated Mine Company, including the Surprise
Mine and the Lone-Pine Mine.